A conventional thermal transfer type printer for label printing performs a feed operation to rotate a paper spool forward and feed paper having a label affixed thereto. During such a feed operation, an ink ribbon is not used and a thermal head is raised. Further, after the label printing is completed, the feed operation continues with the thermal head raised, to convey the gap section on the paper between the labels to the cutter position. After the paper is cut, a reverse feed operation rotates the paper spool backwards, to align the label for the next printing. During the reverse feed operation, the thermal head of the printer can be raised.
The ink ribbon is moved during the forward feed operation, but not during the reverse feed operation. As a result, the ink ribbon corresponding to the distance between the thermal head and the cutter is wasted.
Further, during the forward feed operation to the cutter position, if the distance between the thermal head and the cutter is short, the conveyance to the cutter position ends before the thermal head is raised even though the thermal head may be raised at a high speed. In such cases, raising of the thermal head becomes a useless operation.